Transparency data

Migration Advisory Committee minutes, 17 December 2021

Updated 5 July 2022

146th meeting of the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC)

Friday 17th December 2021 9:45am to 1:15pm

Video / Telephone Conference

Attending:

• Professor Brian Bell

• Professor Dina Kiwan

• Professor Jo Swaffield

• Madeleine Sumption

• Professor Sergi Pardos-Prado

• Della McVay

• Maria Vincenza

• Toby Nutley

• Social Care Expert Panel

• MAC Secretariat

Agenda item 1 – Welcome and introductions

1. Brian Bell opened the meeting and welcomed the social care expert panel who introduced themselves.

Agenda item 2 – Social care immigration routes review

2. Maria Vincenza presented the social care immigration routes review paper, answering questions from the committee and social care expert panel.

Agenda item 3 – Social care key issues discussion

3. The committee and the social care expert panel discussed immigration, workforce issues and key occupations in social care.

Agenda item 4 – Social care report timelines and skeleton

4. The secretariat asked for comments on the preliminary structure of the social care report as well as timelines for key meetings and report delivery.

5.\ The committee and social care expert panel suggested some amendments to the proposed content and structure of the report. Other comments will be received by correspondence.

Agenda item 5 – Social care initial Call for Evidence (CfE) findings

6. The secretariat asked the committee and social care expert panel for any comments and questions on the initial findings of the CfE responses. The secretariat provided clarification around the methodology for the CfE.

Agenda item 6 – Home Office (HO), MAC Secretariat and MAC updates

7. Della McVay provided an update on HO business. Position on seasonal work is still being considered by the Cabinet Office. Significant progress has been made on the fully digital application system as well as new settlement routes for BNOs and protection cases. Policy developments are focused on COVID-related concessions as well as social care recommendations.

8. Toby Nutley provided an update on secretariat business. Toby updated the committee on the progress of recruiting both new secretariat and committee members. There have been discussions with the HO about future commissions following the delivery of the social care commission which may include updates to shortage occupation list (SOL) and minimum income requirement.

9. Brian discussed the response to the annual report. The report was well received and gained significant media coverage.

Agenda item 8 – Employer research

10. The secretariat presented employer research on the experience and impact of shortage and the committee were asked for their comments. The committee reaffirmed their position on publishing the report in early 2022.

Agenda item 9 – Evaluation

11. The secretariat presented an evaluation plan designed for evaluating the impacts of the SOL and salary thresholds. The secretariat asked for feedback on this proposed plan.

12. The committee were happy with the proposed outline and agreed to review potential projects after initial data analysis.

Agenda item 10 – SOL methodology review

13. The secretariat asked for feedback on the proposed plan for the SOL methodology review.

14. The committee raised concerns over the availability of data and the secretariat agreed to produce a paper to assess these problems

Agenda item 12 – Scotland background paper

15. The secretariat presented the Scotland background paper and asked for comments.

Agenda item 13 – AOB

16. No other business was raised. Brian Bell closed the meeting.